Will pre-election erratic pledges spell doom to tea industry?

The government must realise that the major tea producers of this country comprise “Small Tea” holders and not major tea companies. Public announcements must be made with a deep sense of responsibility and not mere erratic statements creating dissension between the workers and the producers of tea. It is essential to study the subject in depth and arrive at conclusions.

Can a small tea holder afford to pay a wage of Rs.1750 for a tea plucker who produces only twenty to thirty kilos of tea from his small plantation and this worker does not work for more than four to five hours, most, per day? Is it feasible? If one studies the wages board publications in force one will realise that even a Security Officer working for nine hours/ eight hours will receive only about one thousand rupees having shouldered greater responsibility, in protecting billions worth of assets and after his training in Fire Fighting, First Aid, investigations and even facing the risk of death in his performance. How can the tea small-holder afford to pay such a high wage whilst he has to engage labour in weeding, manuring and providing tea etc to all such workers? The institutions that encourage higher wages must realize that when there are droughts, the quantity of tea drops. These are practical difficulties the tea smallholders and any one dealing with tea plantations face.

I only hope the Employers’ Federation, the Planters’association and the Labour Department will come to realise the difficulties the trade has to face. Perhaps tea companies and the tea small traders may have to either mechanize or switch to a less-labour intensive trade like cinnamon and spices!